Harry Potter and the Magical Tours

Late on Saturday morning, Harry was still sitting at the breakfast table, discussing matters of the Gryffindor Quidditch team with Ron. In Harry's eyes, Ron was already Captain, so it had to be Ron's job to find a Keeper. Harry considered himself to be a mere player, although he felt a special responsibility for the new Seeker, Rahewa Lightfoot.

Rahewa had accepted the position of the Gryffindor Seeker at once, but this time a brief moment of disbelief had been visible even in her controlled face.

She was impressed with everything, certainly, though not afraid. Seeing the question on her face, Harry knew it could only be politeness that prevented her from asking.

He said, "Rahewa, it's not official yet, but we might as well start behaving as teammates right here. So what's your question?"

"You were the Seeker, Harry ... And now you'll be a Beater."

Rahewa was fluent in Quidditch terms and rules, as well as in the public opinions about the different team positions. Beaters ranked low in the hierarchy; the twins, who had gained a reputation based on their incredibly synchronized performance, represented the exception rather than the rule.

Harry didn't know a thing about American Indians, Cree or otherwise. However, the style of conversation felt familiar. So he prompted, "And you ask yourself why I'm going to drop from the dream position to the depths of a Beater?"

She just looked at him, not even saying, "Yes," probably due to his impolite choice of words.

Taking this as an answer, Harry said, "There are several reasons. Ron and I follow the footsteps of the twins - that's Ron's brothers, who have changed how people look at Beaters. That's a real challenge. Also, we need young blood in the team, but for the other positions, a certain age's a prerequisite."

Rahewa nodded, said nothing, showing only through her eyes how little his arguments had convinced her.

Harry wondered if his rationale could hold against himself. Had he looked for a way to avoid competition with Cho? He didn't think so, but then, you could be honest with yourself only up to a point.

And there had been another reason, one that was considerable more difficult to express.

"Aside from that," he said, "there's ... I don't know how to explain - it sounds so weird. All I can say is, I had a hunch to go and look for a Seeker among the new Gryffindors."

Again a nod. "Yes, that fits."

She didn't explain this "fitting" any further, and Harry didn't really feel an urge to ask. It just sounded right.

And now he was sitting here with Ron, dumping all loose ends into his friend's lap.

Fleur came into view, apparently aiming for the Gryffindor table. Then Harry saw another head, considerably closer to the floor, followed by yet a third. Both had been previously obscured due to their height, or lack thereof.

"Salu, 'arry," said Gabrielle, owner of the second head. "I thought we might visit you. This is Chloé, my friend."

Harry smiled, then saw Fleur arrive, Fleur who could master the most complicated problems in relationships so elegantly, who was standing there, shrugging in helplessness.

Suppressing a grin, Harry said, "Salu, Chloé - enchanté. How long is it since you two have had breakfast?"

Hours had passed since then, and the girls seemed inclined to give English breakfast a try.

As Gabrielle explained between bites, the example of Harry and his friends had struck her as quite convincing, and she was going to copy that - of course after transmigrating the structure to the proper sexes. So she and Chloé were the equivalents of Harry and Ron, and all that was missing was a boy to take over Hermione's role.

The thought alone made Harry and Ron cramp inwardly from suppressed laughter.

"We already have a candidate," said Gabrielle. "His name is Fabien, and he looks quite promising. But we still have to think it over."

"That's a perfect match." Ron kept his voice admirably serious. "It took us quite a while to settle with Hermione - and it's still a challenge, if you know what I mean."

Gabrielle knew, or had her own understanding of that state. Fortunately, Hermione wasn't around to challenge anything; there was only Fleur, rolling her eyes to get her fit under control.

---

Harry asked for the girls' plan, and was told they had all day long, open minds, and what was he offering?

After a moment, he saw the solution. "At two o'clock I'm expecting another visitor - Marie-Christine ..."

Gabrielle knew her, even if the acquaintance was only a few days old.

"... we have to talk a bit. But I know how to bring us all together - we'll go swimming."

Gabrielle and Chloé hadn't come with a swimsuit, how should they have known, but Fleur found the idea magnificent and promised to take care of that, as well as inform Marie-Christine. Taking the opportunity, she stood up to do it right away, and Ron trailed her out of the room.

Cho and Almyra appeared and came over - they'd seen Gabrielle.

Harry explained the changes in the plan, and asked whether Cho and Almyra were interested in joining. They weren't, with considerably more emphasis from Cho's side.

Gabrielle had followed the exchange. Now she sent a very quick glance toward Cho and another toward Harry, reminding him of a quarter Veela's nature even in an eleven-year-old. Then she expressed the hope to see the girls' rooms of Hogwarts, taking Ravenclaw as an example.

Harry promised to wait for them in the hall.

Almyra brought the girls back, then disappeared again after trying to signal amusement, admiration, and regret, using only her eyes.

Harry offered a tour through Hogwarts, but found little agreement - understandably so, after Beauxbatons' standards. He hadn't expected another reaction; the offer had been just for the sake of completeness, or politeness. Then he recommended a visit to Hogsmeade, including the sweets shop, and of course through the secret passage, to which he would come with his Invisibility Cloak, plus a detour to the Whomping Willow.

His suggestion found grace, and the tour filled the time until a late lunch.

Hermione found the idea of a swim party excellent; after all, there hadn't been too many opportunities so far. Then she and Gabrielle discussed the intricacies of terms between two male and one female, or vice versa, in a friendship of three.

Harry used the time to invite Ginny, who was delighted. Then he organized broomsticks for the guests, had the foresight to reserve one more, and was confirmed shortly afterwards when the other guests appeard - Marie-Christine and Janine.

He had selected one of the Hogwarts Firebolts for himself. Using a Steel Wing in such a crowd, with two girls steering their own broomsticks for the second time in their life, would have been a stupid idea. The Steel Wings were very unfriendly to anyone but their owners.

The group squadron reached the place at the lake, draped blankets, deposited drinks and all the other items mandatory for an afternoon close to the water. People stripped down to their swimsuits, while only some of them jumped into the water - others kept to the shade, having eaten just recently.

Harry and his guest were among the latter. Marie-Christine inspected his muscular shoulders and chest without any trace of self-consciousness. "I remembered you differently, 'arry."

"Some training." He looked at her, and at her womanly body, which was less athletic than others he'd seen recently - with and without swimsuit - softer, with a full bosom. "I didn't remember you as much."

She smiled, neither embarrassed nor surprised. Talking French, this conversation seemed perfectly natural. Then she asked, "How's Cho?"

"Fine, thanks."

Marie-Christine accepted the answer without asking more, a question only in her eyes. Not in the mood to deepen the subject, Harry used the obvious opportunity. "How's Gérard?"

A mocking smile appeared in Marie-Christine's face. "Jealous that I'm here."

"Really?" Harry recalled his memory of the evening at Beauxbatons, trying to find comparable signs there. But all he found were memories of the inverse situation.

And next moment, Marie-Christine's short grimace confirmed his memory. "As if he had a reason for being jealous!" she hissed.

The other party members kept out of earshot, a reflexive politeness toward Harry and his guest, and the two young girls were in the water. So Harry saw no conflict to follow his combined impulse of sympathy and curiosity. He looked at Marie-Christine. "But you."

She shrugged, a very French movement. "Not really. He has an eye for the athletic type, flat belly, lots of tennis ... Like Cho."

Using his new skill in calm faces, Harry said, "In this case, he shouldn't hold his breath."

"He doesn't - take my word, 'arry."

Marie-Christine gave a wry smile, shrugged again, then said, "Let's talk about something nice - Voldemort, for example."

Seeing Harry's reaction, she blushed. "Pardon, 'arry - what a stupid remark, not even my bad mood is an apology." And a moment later, she looked as if she would break into tears any second.

Harry glanced around. Anyone not in the water had personal reasons to use the spacious place to its full extent. He asked, "Marie-Christine, how is it for a woman to be - er, cheated?"

"Its awful. Just awful ... like a low-grade Cruciatus. The knowledge." Tears were filling her eyes.

"I'm sorry - maybe we should really talk about - "

She hadn't heard him. "You know - the act itself isn't the worst. If it was something like a party, and alcohol - except, he really stopped drinking. Anyway - I could get along with something like that, or even curiosity - might have a similar thought myself one day" - she smiled at Harry, not really seeing him - "but here - he loves me, or so he says, and I think it's true, only I'm not his type, and that's why ... It's worse than cheating, it's treachery ... I'm not going to change, even if I could, so - if he's not getting in the mood from this body, to hell with him."

Only she didn't believe her own words.

Was it his urge to change Marie-Christine's mood? Was it her effect toward him, in some sense like Fleur, only so different? Whatever the motivation, Harry said, "I had more than one reason to ask you that question."

It took her a moment to register his words. Then she stared at him in perplexion. "You? ... And that's why - "

He nodded.

Marie-Christine's face reflected a rapid sequence of calculations. Then she looked around, as if trying to see someone in a new light. Following her thoughts, Harry said, "Not here - in Japan."

Marie-Christine had heard about Japan, and smiled. "I guess I get the picture. I don't think your case is the same, 'arry - at least, it was far away."

"Maybe - but not long ago."

Marie-Christine examined him. "And what if she was around?"

"Tamiko?" Harry shook his head. "That's not even a hypothetical question - she taught me, and made it very clear that we won't see each other again."

Marie-Christine smiled, bitterness in her face. "See - it's something else. You got some lessons from her, now you get another one from Cho, and in a while ..."

"Yeah ..." Seeing her miserable face, Harry said, "I'd like to teach a lesson, too ... to Gérard, I mean."

"By threatening him?" Marie-Christine snorted. "That would be the day - actually, it might even work; you're the only one he isn't talking about with detest, not even in a bad mood." She smiled again, this time more warmly. "Thank you, 'arry - you helped already, letting me talk."

"Well - it's a mutual business, as I said to Cho, although not exactly as planned."

"No." Marie-Christine glanced at him. "Of course, it's different for every woman. In your case - in her place, I could say, all right, show me what you've learned. But I'm not in her place." It was a simple explanation, neither an invitation nor anything else.

Harry asked, "What are you going to do?"

"I wish I knew." Marie-Christine looked at him. "And you?"

"We agreed I'll court her - as if we were still at the beginning."

Marie-Christine looked appreciative. "That's nice - and a very intelligent idea." She thought a moment. "Maybe I should think of something similar, keep him in suspense for a while ..." A grin toward Harry. "Except - it cuts both ways."

"I'd hope so."

She grinned broader. "Oh - no denying that."

He laughed. "Aside from that - I'm playing openly, not hiding much from the others. Maybe, if Gérard knows you're discussing this with others ..."

"Yes, you're right. With your permission, 'arry, I'll tell him about this conversation."

"Well - okay, yes." He grimaced. "I'll get into trouble, but so what - Cho always reminds me that I'm asking for it."

"Are you sure, 'arry?"

He nodded. "Yes - in particular since I'll tell Cho about this conversation."

---

Before really starting on the subject of Voldemort, they decided to have a swim. Unsurprisingly, Marie-Christine didn't share Harry's preference for diving, while Gabrielle was eager to join him, hoping to see the place where she'd been held hostage two years ago. Of course, Gabrielle's diving timespan was much shorter than Harry's own, and diving just to feel like she was in a liquid void wasn't her cup of tea either.

Checking the time, Harry realized that the meeting was too short to cover the basics, because he had an appointment with his sensei in a while. "Marie-Christine," he said, "I think we should meet again tomorrow, in the school, so you can use parchment and quill, and then I'll sit for a real interview. Today, I'd like to do a little brainstorming about Voldemort."

She found the idea very appealing.

"Then let me ask the first question," began Harry. "What do you think is he doing now?"

Marie-Christine thought it over. "Two things - licking his wounds, I mean biting pieces out of the furniture at the thought how you and Cho defeated him - and gathering a replacement for the Death Eaters."

"But it wasn't a defeat."

Marie-Christine shook her head. "For him it was ... If I got any knowledge about his motivation, then he's driven by the thought he can put himself outside any rule and power. The memory that you two were standing there, and any attempt from his side would only have killed himself ... 'arry - I think he's never been as close to suicide as in that moment."

He stared at her in astonishment. "That's exactly how he looked! Like it was eating him alive."

"No doubt. And now he has to rebuild his self-image so that he can live with the thought of being treated that way."

They looked at each other, chuckling about this reference to their own situations. Then Harry asked, "What might that be?"

"Something in which your appearance, or performance, was the inevitable result of his own planning, but only a temporary state, until his final strategy takes effect, making his former defeat a natural prerequisite to the final victory."

"Wow - I'll need to think about that."

Marie-Christine snorted. "Harry - that's a request list, what I said. So far, I haven't been able to think of any realistic scenario that would meet the qualifications."

"Even so ..." Harry couldn't either, though for him, finding a way appeared less difficult once knowing the goal. He asked, "Do you know Zen?"

"Only the name."

"It's good to think about the impossible."

"Then I might give it a try."

"Japan's good for that." Harry felt pleased, seeing a short laugh erupt from Marie-Christine. Concentrating on Voldemort again, he asked, "And where might he be?"

Marie-Christine raised her eyebrows, then said, "And what's your next question?"

"Does it matter where he is?"

"Probably, because it's where he gathers new helpers."

"Even though he can jump around the world with his skill? Or with portkey links?"

Marie-Christine made a dismissive gesture. "We all have a tendency to take residence at the centre of our activity - or nicely separated but close by."

---

After some more speculation, fruitless but pleasant with such a conversation partner, Harry had to leave for the appointment with his sensei. Gabrielle was very eager to watch him, of course together with Chloé.

Harry had mixed feelings, in contrast to Fleur, who told her sister this was out of discussion. Only that Gabrielle wasn't ready to accept any vote other than Harry's.

Ginny had watched the dispute. She turned to Fleur. "I'll take care of them - if the exercises take longer than their interest, which is probably the case."

Fleur saw Harry nod and looked grateful at Ginny. Then she looked sharper, then she beamed, althought still grateful. "That's a wonderful idea, Ginny."

It was the first time Harry could watch someone female blush from Veela effects, or instincts.

In the training hall, he bowed. "Sensei - with your permission, I have two guests who'd like to watch, Gabrielle and Chloé. For Gabrielle, I'm something like a - um, hero, since an event two years ago. And Ginny will take care of them."

Kenzo bowed back. "I heard about that event, Ha-ri."

He bowed again before the two girls. "I'm honoured to work with your hero," wisely avoiding any attempt to pronounce Gabrielle's name.

Gabrielle was deeply impressed, delighted when Kenzo complimented her on her bow and the balanced grace of her gait.

Then Kenzo bowed to Ginny, who had trouble with her response. Obviously the teacher remembered her name from the list of volunteers. "Gi-ni, you may examine your determination while watching Ha-ri and myself."

Then he gave Harry hell.

Three hours later - the two girls were long gone, only Ginny had returned, sitting in a corner, getting used to the lotus position - Harry wished dearly Hogwarts could offer a Japanese recreation room, no matter which personnel. All he had was a long, hot shower, a do-it-yourself cure at some bruises, and the fierce determination to squeeze such a room out of Dumbledore.

* * *

At the Ravenclaw table after supper, Cho asked him, "How was your swim party?"

"It wasn't much of a swimming for us ... Marie-Christine talked, although not too long about Voldemort - we'll meet again tomorrow for a real interview."

"So you had more interesting topics to discuss?"

Keeping his own voice calm, Harry responded, "For an - er, present reason, we talked about cheating. I wanted to know from her how it feels for a woman."

A moment of stunned silence. Then Cho asked, "What did she say?"

"She described her own feelings, and explained that it's different from one to the other ... and that the exact details have different impact from one to the other."

"Was this new to you, Harry?"

"Hmm ..." He hadn't the answer ready, at least not the words. After a moment, he said, "Basically no, while - hearing it with personal involvement, and with a counter example, it was new to me, yes."

Cho took her own time for a thoughtful silence. Then she looked up. "And what's your conclusion?"

"For my own case - I'm still thinking about it. For hers - well, I have my opinion about Gérard's behaviour, but who am I to judge?"

"Why - with your expertise, Harry?"

He looked into Cho's angry eyes. "If her description's correct, he's torn apart between his love for her and his preference for more athletic bodies - like yours, I'm quoting her. To me, that looks like a serious deficit in maturity and self-confidence ... These aren't my problems - the recent loss of some deficit is the only similarity I can see."

"A very detailed description, and analysis ..." The sneering in Cho's voice sounded a bit hollow, but next moment, she had found new ammunition. "I wonder if she'd agree to your discussing this so openly."

"You and Al, that's not exactly a public forum. Aside from that - we exchanged permissions to do so."

Disarmed again, Cho seemed to chew on the permission Harry had given, except this could hardly be used as another weapon - Harry playing openly was nothing new. Eventually, she asked, "What was your recommendation?"

"None ... I told her how we handle it. She seemed reluctant to give it a try."

"Why?"

"I'd rather you asked her about that."

"I wouldn't. Why?"

Harry' eyes met hers again. "She said, it's cutting both ways."

* * *

He would have favoured a Go match this evening, only there was no partner. Cho had left him sitting at the Ravenclaw table - not unfriendly, rather thoughtful actually. Ron was nowhere to be seen, and Harry didn't feel like asking Kenzo. Maybe the sensei would have liked playing Go with him, only it felt too obtrusive asking so early in their relationship.

So Harry spent the evening with some meditation, thinking about Marie-Christine's words, those in the first part of their conversation as well as those in the second. Well, the topic was the same, somehow, wasn't it? He and Cho coming together, here in the metaphorical and there in a more physical sense ... And Voldemort benefitting from that??

Ugly beanpole had Cho called him. Voldemort as an oversized garden gnome in their future home? As pet wizard? The thought was absurd and a bit sickening, not funny at all - after Marie-Christine's words, Harry saw less reason than ever to call his last encounter with the Dark Lord a victory. Only he couldn't imagine any realistic scenario in which the love between him and Cho formed the basis for Voldemort achieving his final goal.

Harry saw Ron again next morning, at the breakfast table. When he asked his friend about his plans for this Sunday, Ron hesitated, struggling with an answer.

Hermione did it for him. "Making progress, Harry, that's what he has ..." She stopped, apparently seeing something in Ron's face, started to grin. "And regress too, I'd say."

Ron blushed, very much so.

Harry stared disapprovingly at Hermione. "Awfully funny - really!" Then he turned to Ron, "Anyway - while on the subject, welcome to the club, Ron, and ... er - Marie-Christine's going to arrive after lunch, I wonder if she'll be alone."

Ron had recovered, smiled somewhat self-consciously. "I don't."

Hermione, meanwhile, looked a bit more sympathetic while otherwise totally unimpressed from the reprimand, reminding Harry of Fleur's remarks that female decency was a male myth.

Now, after lunch, he stood at the exit of the Beauxbatons link, waiting for Marie-Christine, feeling disappointed because their meeting and lesson room was gone. Behind him stood Ron, sharing Harry's expectancy while not his disappointment.

Janine appeared first, had a short wave for Harry, "Salu," had only eyes for Ron then, was gone an instant later. With Ron.

Marie-Christine came out. She smiled at Harry, then looked over his shoulder, a bit surprised, smiling more.

Before Harry could turn, someone behind him said, "Salu, Marie-Christine - I hope you don't mind some company in your interview." The voice accelerated Harry's wheeling-around simply because it was Cho's.

There she stood, smiling like sunshine. Almyra at her side smiled more guiltily.

Harry turned back to welcome his - their - guest, just in time to hear Marie-Christine answering, "... not at all, quite the contrary." Only now he found the time to stare at the unexpected welcome committee.

Cho's voice was polite, serious, maybe a bit pleading. "Is this okay with you, Harry?"

"Yes, of course - I'd ..." He stopped, suppressing a remark badly placed here, maybe fitting nowhere.

Almyra beamed. "I can trade, Harry - a room and a quill."

Marie-Christine felt as if it were Christmas, with a password-protected room, a steno quill, and Cho ready to answer questions by herself.

Harry felt as if he were in Wonderland, although not for long. Marie-Christine started immediately, asked him to describe all his encounters, in time order if possible, starting with the green flash that killed his parents.

At some point, Marie-Christine looked up, glanced toward Cho, toward Almyra, toward him. "I take it - I can ask any question, and nobody's presence is preventing answers?"

Almyra was up. "I'll leave you for a ..."

"No - sit down!" Harry and Cho looked at each other. They had called it simultaneously.

Marie-Christine smiled, turned serious again. "Cho - what made you think it's Harry's destiny to kill Voldemort?"

"Well - it was the only answer fitting some questions, and fitting perfectly ... I think recent events have confirmed that."

"Not at all."

"Huh??"

Marie-Christine showed the appearance of a scientist in full swing, nothing else. "There's another explanation that fits as well ... Harry's special to Voldemort, of course, but so are you - which suggests something else much more."

"What?"

Marie-Christine looked astonished. "Isn't it obvious? ... It's your child who has to defeat Voldemort."

---

Some gasps.

Cho tried to play for time, or something else. "What makes you think we'll have children?"

"My God, of course you'll have children - with whom else?" Marie-Christine's voice expressed impatience with someone not too bright, or a bit stubborn, or handicapped for some other reason she felt hard to tolerate right now.

A speechless Cho turned to Harry, to see in his face an expression of utter sickness. Her eyes widening in disbelief, she turned back to Marie-Christine. "Then have a look at his face, at the thought of that."

Harry had a bitter taste in his mouth. "You don't understand." His voice stopped any thought this horrible expression had been caused by Cho's involvement, or the idea itself.

Cho asked, "What is it, Harry?"

He looked at her, at Marie-Christine. "That's it ... Yesterday, Marie-Christine speculated that Voldemort will try something to make our defeating him look like a necessary step - but she couldn't think of any realistic scenario ... While all the time, she had it in her mind."

Marie-Christine went very white.

Harry saw Cho still trying to follow. "Our child," he said, "he'll try to overtake it - its mind, its body, its magic - combining it with his own magic and his own foul spirit."

Nameless terror started to fill Cho's face.

He grabbed her hand, looked at Marie-Christine. "No - your own conclusion proves it's wrong, and Cho's right."

"I want to believe you more than ever before, 'arry - but I can't see it."

Harry's words came like a torrent. "Your conclusion, that's correct of course - there's no doubt, that's his plan, and for figuring this out, Marie-Christine, I owe you - more than I can think of right now. And because that's his plan, it's obvious he has to be killed before having a chance - and that's why it will be me who does it."

Marie-Christine looked hopeful, doubtful. "But no, 'arry - your argument can't be right - it tries to prove itself, it doesn't hold closer scrutiny."

Harry beamed, raising more questions in the other faces. "So it can't be right," he said, "which means it can only be true! That's Zen in perfection - I went to Japan to learn that ..." There was awe in his voice. "Don't ask me to explain ... It can't be explained, because it's impossible, and that's why you can't understand ... Only know."

Marie-Christine watched him with quite some scepticism, ready to believe while at a loss to accept. Which was just fine for Harry - after all, she hadn't visited the same seminar, hadn't met his teacher. He knew beyond any doubt, he could feel it, as real as Cho's hand holding his, not letting go.

* * *

Harry could sympathize with Ron's happiness, very much so, however sometimes it was torture. In particular when Ron, by accident, put him under a more serious stress test. They were alone, and Ron said, "Harry - I'd like to ask you a question."

"Go ahead."

"I mean - referring to your special knowledge from, um ..."

"The word is Japan, Ron."

"Er - right ... What's your own preference - I mean, which - er, position ..."

It happened rarely with Harry. Anyway, it happened here. Glancing incredulously at Ron, seeing his friend's self-conscious smile, easily confused with a stupid grin if you were in Harry's position and, like him right now, lacked the tolerance toward a pretty normal young man's question, he exploded. "Considering my current state, the one that's called Chinese Deadlock - her legs are tightly closed, and you're dangling with your ..."

Ron's hands were up. "Sorry - was a stupid question, Harry."

The expression in Ron's face calmed Harry down, while the blood didn't fade from his own, although for another reason.

"Dammit - I swore to myself, I'm not going to make other people suffer from my problem - and now this!" Staring angrily at Ron, who still confused himself with the target of this rage, Harry bowed, bowed again. "Shimata!"

"Er - what's ... was this a curse?"

The anxiousness in Ron's voice made Harry chuckle. "No, I made a bloody mistake, that's what I said, and that's what I made. I'm sorry, Ron."

"It's okay ... I wasn't really up to myself when asking you."

Harry agreed to that, saw no reason to avoid a normal teasing between friends. "Is your head a bit bloodless, recently?"

Ron might have agreed to that also, quite happily, if not for his friend's state.

Halfways balanced, Harry said, "Well - to answer your question, I had no real opportunity yet to develop a preference. With Tamiko, it was a bit like Transfiguration - let's start with that, and now's the time to turn a little, see what I mean?"

Ron looked stupefied. "You mean - in the middle of the action?"

"Yes, of course."

"Oh - that's cruel, Harry."

"It's a hard test of control, oh yeah ... Tamiko agreed that, in a way, it's beyond our age - except ..." Harry grinned. "Ron, far be it from me to give you advice in things you can handle perfectly well without me, but - give it a try, it will drive her crazy."

"Yeah, provided I can keep my - er, senses."

Harry grinned broader. "Yes, of course - that's a prerequisite."

Sobering up, Ron looked thoughtful. "There's no denying, Harry - this special education has its advantages."

"Absolutely - especially for you, right now ... Any time it crosses your mind, you can come and ask me, and any time it crosses your - er, mind, you can say, 'C'mon, Janine, let's look for bad weather'."

Ron nodded, grinned admiringly. "Harry - I think we agree that, speaking generally, I can beat you in wisecracking any time, but in this topic, I'm no challenge for you."

"Maybe still for a few weeks, until the advantage has balanced out."

Ron shook his head. "No ... You talk with more women, and what's more important, they talk with you ... Ginny, for example."

Harry registered the fine change in Ron's voice. "We have a few advantages," he said. "For example, we're not really brother and sister - that's why we can talk like we do. Do you feel excluded?"

"Not really ... True, there was a sting or two seeing you two looking at each other, but - honestly, I couldn't handle the troubles of a girl her age, certainly not at the moment." This said, Ron still seemed to look for words, to dismiss them, to balance a thought ...

"You'd like to ask another question, right?"

A careful glance. "How ..."

"Except - asking would reveal something with Janine which is definitely none of my business, isn't it?"

Ron gasped. "Harry - dammit, you can be pretty scary. How do you - "

"It's simple - I just had more training."

"No - tell me how you found out! Yes, of course you're right."

"Okay - you had a question," explained Harry, "that was painted in your face. Most likely with this particular topic - I mean, while on the subject and so. With me so far?"

"Sure - that's the simple part."

"And since some other discussions, if it had been something with you, you'd have asked, that's clear ..."

Ron nodded, looked pleased at the implicit message.

"There was a tiny chance you might have pondered asking something about Ginny, since we just spoke about her - only, it simply didn't fit - wouldn't have been your style ..."

Ron looked more pleased.

"... aside from the fact that your own activities are currently predominant in your mind ..." After this little sting for his own peace of mind, Harry finished, "So it had to be Janine. And you weren't searching for words, but for a decision."

"Harry - how come I can beat you in chess so easily?"

"Maybe I can't take those funny figures serious enough. Anyway, I think you were right not asking me - but why don't you ask Fleur?"

A horrified look. "Her? For Heaven's sake - I'd shrink to nothing just from the thought ..."

Harry smiled. "Look - Fleur's a woman, she can see Janine's perspective. And she's a Veela and French, she considers such questions as an intelligent conversation about important issues. She's your future sister-in-law, meaning she'll answer that question."

"That's all well and fine, but ..." Ron shook his head. "I just can't ask."

"Would it help if she trances you a bit?"

"Probably - only the thought of talking to her while tranced is scaring me even more."

"But you want an answer? Badly enough to ask, if possible."

A nod.

"Then why don't you write a letter? 'Dear Fleur, I'd like to ask you something about what Janine and I are doing, only I'm too embarrassed to ask you directly.' You know what'll happen, don't you?"

"What?"

"She will catch you, with nobody around, and before you can react she has tranced you a bit, and - well, that's it."

Ron's expression changed from frightened to thoughtful, to beaming. "Brilliant, Harry - why didn't I think of it myself, after all, I'm supposed to be the administrator?"

Harry grinned. "You're so busy with other things - something as flat as a parchment has slipped your mind completely."

* * *

After breakfast, Harry was about to walk over to the Ravenclaw table, for exchanging a good-morning kiss - recently, these kisses had started to feel differently, to taste differently - when he saw and heard something that made him smile in sympathy.

A howler - the angry voice filling the hall, yelling at a boy who was sitting there, turning red, hiding his face.

Harry waited a moment, then approached the planned table but a different target. The boy was Damon Harker, and Damon's face had struck a chord in Harry. He reached the boy's place and sat down without waiting for an invitation. "Hi, Damon ... Take it easy - such things happen."

A tear-strained face glanced carefully up, reddening even more at seeing him, hiding again.

"C'mon, Damon - we've shared worse things ... And we've mastered them together, remember?"

A sob. "Yes, Harry. You're right - it's even ... I didn't do anything wrong, none that I know of. But that didn't help ..." The face appeared again, showing surprise. "It's strange - each time there's something so bad and I don't know why, you turn up ..."

Harry saw the glances of two girls smiling warmly. He bent lower. "Then it must be fate, Damon, so why don't you tell me what happened?"

Shortly afterwards, he reached Cho and Almyra where he sat down with an expression of wondering in his face.

"What's that?" Cho stared at him. "You don't kiss me, you don't ask for permission to sit down - Harry, young Damon's crime must be quite horrible."

Harry looked up slowly. "No ... And that's exactly the point."

Something in his face made Cho forget the kiss, at least delay it. "What's up?"

Rather than answering, Harry looked at his sister in spirit. "Al, tell me - how can an owl get lost?"

The howler had complained that Damon Harker wasn't responding, seemed to have forgotton his Muggle family from all that magic in Hogwarts, not reacting to a first owl, not to a second, and now their patience had worn thin enough to put it a bit more bluntly ...

Almyra's expression showed her feelings. "It can happen, Harry, although ... Anyway, you don't know whether his version is true."

"Yeah, but if that was the only problem, we could solve it with Nagini any time. The point is - I believe his every word."

Cho started to look as worried as Almyra. "You know something else, Harry. What is it?"

"Something Sirius said ..." Harry exchanged a glance with Almyra, looked at Cho again. "Owls get lost - those were his words. And now this - and with Al, and Hedwig ..."

Late afternoon was the first opportunity to meet, and to discuss it thoroughly. Entering Almyra's interview room, Harry said, "I've got reinforcements."

In his trail appeared Ron and Hermione.

Anticipating any protest, Harry said, "What we have to do is a brainstorming - and there's nobody as good in that as Hermione ... In addition - nobody can think as nasty as her."

Hermione beamed.

Cho said, "The latter is still to be proven, but otherwise - hello, Hermione."

Watched by the others, Hermione got ready, parchment on the table in front of her, quill in her hand. "Well then - what's our problem?"

Harry said, "Owls get lost."

Hermione wrote. "Is this verified?"

Harry again. "Yes. Witnesses: Sirius Black, Damon Harker."

She wrote. "Why's this a problem?"

Almyra jerked forward, baring her teeth.

Hermione held her stare. "I'm only brain ... Al, why's this a problem?"

Almyra fell back, exhaling. "Sorry - it's just, the thought alone makes me sick. You're right, of course."

Hermione wrote, reading aloud. "Almyra ... Hedwig ... sympathy with owls in general." Her head came up. "Why else?"

Almyra had grasped the idea, looked better. "Because it's unnatural - it's too many in such a short time."

"Do you have numbers, statistics?"

Ron said, "Consider the probability of two owls for the same message, and in such a short time! It's astronomically small."

Harry added, "Sirius had a reason for his remark. We'll ask him for details, or Bel." He felt Cho's stare at him while Hermione was writing.

Hermione looked up. "So owls get lost, more than can be explained by natural reasons, and we feel deeply concerned - concerned enough to take measures. Right so far?"

The thought of Harry taking measures brought a grimace into Cho's face, while the thought of Almyra being involved made her nod instantaneously.

---

Hermione looked at Almyra. "How can an owl get lost?"

Almyra's face was pale. "By getting caught, or killed ... There's no other explanation."

Hermione was more than brain. "Al - please, I know why I'm asking this. Assume you had to make sure an owl as powerful as Hedwig doesn't reach its destination - how would you do it?"

Almyra nodded, thought, then looked as if retching the next moment. "I would ... it had to be ..."

"Killing." Hermione wrote, not waiting for Almyra's nod. Then she looked up. "Which means, it's not about collecting owls without paying for them. Do we agree on that?"

They did.

"Are they after the messages, or the parcels?"

Maybe so, except nobody was ready to believe the message to Damon Harker had any relevance outside a family of Muggle parents with a wizard child.

"What's the effect if the messages do not appear?"

Harry said, "There are howlers."

They noticed - this owl had arrived; put the question aside for the moment. Then Cho said, "They have to send another message, or to use something else - like that new message service."

Ron said, "Which probably speeds up their business."

Cho turned to Harry. "The same company which has accidents."

Ways and goals, thought Harry ... A shadow strategy and a real strategy. This could only be a shadow, although a clearly visible one. He turned to Almyra.

"That company is improving if owls don't arrive. But an owl which makes it public that owl mail is unreliable comes through unharmed."

Now it was Hermione who seemed unable to accept conclusions. "You think it's Magical Tours - or their messaging department?"

Cho answered. "Makes perfect sense - you should have a look at some companies in China, or Japan."

Mentioning this particular country raised a short moment of uneasiness in the room, until Harry himself pushed it aside. "While their benefit is obvious," he said, "that's just their shadow strategy. The question is what's really on their mind."

He had to explain about shadow strategies and real ones, was supported by Cho in that. Then Almyra asked, "What can we do?"

"Talk with Sirius," said Hermione.

"Send a time-bomb," said Cho.

"Analyze the pattern," said Ron.

"Move the shadow," said Harry.

He had to explain what it meant, this time with Cho as part of his audience. Then Almyra asked, "And how?"

Harry looked at her. "You move the shadow to make them show their katana - their long sword ... We have two owls, to look for that sword."

"NO!" Cho stared at him, fury in her face. "Are you mad? Do you know what you're talking about - it's her, and ..." She turned. "Al - tell him, there's no way, he's out of his mind!"

Almyra, her face pale, looked at Harry, not saying a word.

Cho grabbed her, shook her. "Al - no, please ... Please say no, I beg you!" She spun around, toward Harry. "You - you ... it would never have crossed her mind, not if - "

He held her stare. "It would - not today, but tomorrow."

Finally, Almyra spoke. "He's right ... Just a bit quicker than myself - and not as scared."

Cho had listened, desperation in her face. She slumped back, looked at Harry. "You and your damned Japanese training ... If something happens to her, if ... I'd never forgive you, Harry."

He nodded. "That makes two of us."